Thermal, or infrared (IR), images of scenes are often useful for monitoring, inspection, and/or maintenance purposes. Typically, a thermal imaging device, e.g., in the form of a thermography arrangement or a thermal imaging device, is provided to receive or capture IR information, or data values, and create, or generate, a visual representation of the captured IR information, typically in the form of an IR image, representing IR radiation emitted from an observed real world scene. Optionally, visible light (VL) data values (e.g., also referred to as visual light data values), representing VL emitted or reflected from the observed real world scene, is captured substantially simultaneously with the IR image.
The generated visual representation, commonly referred to as an IR image, may further, after capturing, be displayed using a display device, either in a thermal imaging device or in a computing device, such as a tablet computer, a laptop, or a desktop computer. The generated IR image may, after capturing, be stored in either a thermal imaging device, an external memory, or a computing device, and subjected to subsequent analysis in order to, for example, analyze temperature deviation of objects in an observed real world scene based on temperature deviations in successive IR images, i.e., multiple IR images captured sequentially in time.
As IR radiation is not visible to the human eye, there is no natural relation between the captured IR data values and color or grayscale (also referred to as grey scale) values. Therefore an information visualization process referred to as false color or pseudo color is used to map captured IR data values of each pixel in an IR image to colors displayed on a display device.
The mapping of captured IR data values of each pixel in an IR image to colors displayed on a display device is typically based on a predetermined palette of grayscale and/or color values on the one hand and temperature values associated with the captured IR data values on the other hand.
Both new and experienced thermal imaging device users may have difficulties interpreting the observed real world scene based on the color and/or grayscale values assigned to it in the visual representation, which is typically presented to the user on a display device connected or communicatively coupled to the thermal imaging device, or a display device configured to accept and display a stored visual representation at a later time. For inexperienced IR imaging users it becomes crucial that cameras for such target groups support a “walk-up-and-use” behavior.
Thus, for conventional systems today, analysis based on IR images is typically performed by an analyst who often is a high skilled engineer and researcher. There is, therefore, a need for a system that provides increased accuracy, further consistent data display, and other improvements while reducing complexity and increasing the intuitive interpretability in order to enhance the user experience with regard to viewing and analyzing a visual representation of IR data values.